Professor Michael Abramson was the inaugural Principal Investigator for the study and is Professor of Clinical Epidemiology at Monash University. He obtained his PhD from the University of Newcastle for research on occupational asthma. His current research program covers the epidemiology of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, including genetic and environmental risk factors such as smoking, air pollution and occupation. This work has been supported by the National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC), Australian Research Council, Department of Health, Victorian Health Promotion Foundation, Australian Lung Foundation and Asthma Victoria. He is a Chief Investigator on the NHMRC funded Centre for Air Quality & Health Research and Evaluation (CAR). He undertook a consultancy on ambient air quality standards for NHMRC and the en Health Council. He teaches epidemiology and Evidence Based Clinical Practice to medical students, postgraduate Clinical Epidemiology and units in the Doctor of Public Health at Monash University. He has received the Research Medal of the Thoracic Society of Australia & New Zealand, a Community Service Award from the Asthma Foundation of Victoria and a National Research Award from Asthma Australia. He has received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Lung Foundation Australia.
Professor Judi Walker was the Principal Investigator from the School of Rural Health at Monash University. Judi has a wealth of experience in rural and regional health services, ageing well policy, community engagement and innovative approaches to medical training. She took up the position of Professor and Head, School of Rural Health at Monash University in November 2010 to provide academic leadership across the 7 departments that constitute the School, including 4 regional clinical training units, the 1st year of the graduate entry medicine program, a university department of rural health and a research office. Her term as Head of School ended in January 2016, when she moved full time on the Hazelwood Health Study. Judi was the recipient of the Dean of Medicine, Nursing and Health Science’s Award for Excellence in External Engagement in 2014 and 2017 and was nominee for the Vice Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Research Impact (Economic and Social Impact). She was a member of the inaugural Governing Council, Tasmanian Health Service and until recently, was Board Director and Chair, Latrobe Community Health Service, Victoria and Health Consumers Tasmania. She is currently Board Director, Postgraduate Medical Council of Tasmania and a member of the Tasmanian Health Senate. Judi has accumulated over 100 publications in peer-reviewed journals, 9 book chapters, numerous conference papers and commissioned reports. Judi left Monash in 2020 and is now Professor Rural Health Research in the School of Medicine, University of Tasmania. She continues to contribute to outputs from the Hazelwood Health Study.
